In a stark update on the deteriorating condition of our planet, an international assembly of climate experts has reported that the Earth’s vital signs have declined to levels never before witnessed in human history. This critical state threatens the very fabric of life on our planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unprecedented-scientific-consensus">Unprecedented scientific consensus</h2>



Led by William Ripple, a prominent figure from the Oregon State University <a href="https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">College of Forestry</a>, and Christopher Wolf, formerly associated with OSU, a team comprising 12 scientists has delivered a grim prognosis on Earth&#8217;s vital signs in their paper published in <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/biosci/biad080" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BioScience</a>. 



Titled &#8220;The 2023 State of the climate report: Entering uncharted territory,&#8221; the study underscores that a staggering 20 out of 35 planetary vital signs used as barometers for climate health have hit record extremes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-world-on-the-brink">World on the brink</h2>



&#8220;Without decisive steps to address the fundamental issue of humanity&#8217;s overconsumption of the Earth&#8217;s resources, we are navigating towards the potential disintegration of natural and socioeconomic systems,&#8221; Wolf stated, painting a picture of a future marred by intolerable heat, food scarcity, and water shortages.



The authors highlight alarming data from 2023, pointing out that numerous records related to climate and Earth&#8217;s vital signs have been shattered &#8220;by enormous margins.&#8221; This includes unprecedented ocean temperatures, drastic reductions in sea ice, and an extraordinary Canadian wildfire season contributing to record levels of carbon dioxide emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-echoes-of-past-warnings">Echoes of past warnings</h2>



This report is not the first of its kind. It follows a significant &#8220;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-pushed-earth-to-code-red/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency</a>&#8221; published four years ago, where Ripple, alongside other collaborators, received support from over 15,000 scientists from 161 countries. 



Despite these earlier calls to action, little progress has been made, with Ripple emphasizing, &#8220;Life on our planet is unmistakably under assault.&#8221;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-alarming-climate-health-statistics">Alarming climate health statistics</h2>



The report lays bare several shocking statistics that outline why Earth&#8217;s vital signs are at an all-time low.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-chief-fossil-fuel-era-must-end-for-humanitys-survival/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fossil fuel</a> subsidies saw a staggering increase from $531 billion to over $1 trillion between 2021 and 2022, incentivizing harmful emissions. </li>



<li><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-amplify-risks-for-socially-vulnerable-populations-in-western-states/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wildfires</a> in Canada alone have already contributed more than 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2023, surpassing the nation&#8217;s total greenhouse gas emissions the previous year. </li>



<li>A concerning trend in global temperature rise, with 38 days already recorded where temperatures were more than <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/limiting-global-warming-to-1-5-degrees-celsius-would-save-billions-of-lives/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1.5 degrees Celsius</a> above pre-industrial levels. </li>



<li>July experienced the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/july-was-earths-hottest-month-in-120000-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">highest average</a> Earth surface temperature on record, likely the most extreme in the last 100,000 years.</li>
</ul>



Wolf expressed deep concern, stating, &#8220;As scientists, the sudden escalation in the frequency and intensity of climate-related disasters is deeply unsettling.&#8221;



The study cautions that these disasters&#8217; frequency and intensity might even be accelerating faster than temperature rises. The paper forecasts a dire future, where 3 to 6 billion people will find themselves in uninhabitable conditions by the end of this century.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-s-vital-signs-need-transformative-policies">Earth&#8217;s vital signs need transformative policies</h2>



The scientific community is advocating for policies that address &#8220;ecological overshoot,&#8221; a scenario where humanity&#8217;s demands exceed the Earth&#8217;s capacity, resulting in numerous environmental crises, including a decline in biodiversity.



They argue that solutions focusing solely on carbon or climate will fall short of repairing Earth&#8217;s vital signs unless the overarching pressures on global systems are alleviated. As Ripple puts it, the scientific community has a &#8220;moral duty&#8221; to guide humanity away from potential existential threats and lead action-driven dialogues.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-steering-towards-a-just-sustainable-future">Steering towards a just, sustainable future</h2>



The paper calls for a comprehensive overhaul of global economic practices. The authors of the study urge a transition that foregrounds human well-being, curtails excessive consumption, and drastically reduces affluent populations&#8217; emissions.



Key policy recommendations to reverse the decline of Earth&#8217;s vital signs include:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. </li>



<li>Encouraging shifts towards plant-based diets. </li>



<li>Amplifying efforts to protect global forest areas. </li>



<li>Establishing international treaties focused on eliminating coal and preventing new fossil fuel exploration.</li>
</ul>



The authors underscore the necessity for equity and social justice in all climate-related decisions. They clearly recognize the disproportionate impact of climate calamities on the world&#8217;s most impoverished populations, who have the smallest carbon footprints.



In a world where climate-related disasters are becoming the norm rather than the exception, this clarion call from the scientific community is more urgent than ever. It implores global leaders, decision-makers, and individuals alike to embark on a more sustainable path, with the understanding that the very future of life on Earth hinges on the actions humanity takes now.



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Life under siege: Earth’s vital signs reach an all-time low

New data suggests that Earth's ability to store water on land is weakening. Researchers find that water stored in soil, lakes, rivers, and snow is not being replenished as it was in the past.



These findings link directly to the increasing heat of our planet. 



They point to urgent concerns about farmland productivity and hint at bigger changes for our global water cycle, says <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Melbourne</a> hydrology professor <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/190536-dongryeol-ryu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dongryeol Ryu</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-earth-s-land-water-the-basics">Understanding Earth's land water - the basics</h2>



Earth’s land water storage is like nature’s own savings account for fresh water. It includes all the water stored in soil moisture, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-driven-climate-change-is-to-blame-for-sharp-snowpack-declines-since-1980/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">snowpack</a>, glaciers, wetlands, lakes, and underground aquifers. 



Unlike rivers that constantly move water, these sources act more like reservoirs - holding water in place until it either evaporates, gets absorbed by plants, or seeps deeper underground. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-water-day-2025-preserving-glaciers-protecting-our-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The water cycle</a> keeps everything in motion, but land storage helps balance the supply, especially during dry spells or droughts.



Over the years, human activity has been tipping that balance. 



We’re pumping groundwater faster than nature can refill it, draining wetlands for development, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/glacier-melting-threatens-global-water-supplies-and-coastal-communities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shrinking glaciers</a> through climate change. 



These changes hit hardest in places that rely on stored water for drinking, farming, and industry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-storms-no-longer-replenish-land-water">Storms no longer replenish land water</h2>



Scientists confirm that the land has lost elasticity. Even when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predicting-floods-its-not-just-about-rainfall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">major storms strike</a>, groundwater reservoirs do not replenish to earlier levels.



Some of this shift traces back to rising global temperatures. The extra heat boosts <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/global-soil-moisture-in-permanent-decline-due-to-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil moisture loss</a> as well as causing crops to demand more water.



<a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenhouse gases</a> continue to trap heat in the atmosphere, which intensifies drying. 



"Because greenhouse gases will continue to cause global warming well into the future, the rate of evaporation and transpiration is not likely to reduce any time soon," explained <a href="https://air.arizona.edu/person/katharine-jacobs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Katharine Jacobs</a>, a <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Arizona</a> professor of environmental science who was not part of the study. 



“At first we thought, ‘That's an error in the model,'” said Ryu. The research relies on multiple data sources for <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq6529" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">validation</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-on-soil-and-farmland">Impacts on soil and farmland</h2>



Agriculture faces a tightrope act. Farmers often rely on underground reserves that are not recharging, and officials have warned that new stressors on irrigation will hamper food production. 



Meanwhile, the researchers emphasize that too much water is being taken out of these hidden <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-fueling-a-global-water-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reservoirs</a>.



Dry soil magnifies heat and reduces plant growth in a cycle that is hard to break. Even sudden deluges cannot fix a long-term groundwater deficit.



This imbalance ties to the broader climate situation. As Ryu and his team reveal, the system is shifting in ways that may not be reversed quickly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-land-water-loss-shifts-ocean-patterns">Land water loss shifts ocean patterns</h2>



Less water on land means more <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fog-harvesting-could-ease-water-shortages-in-the-worlds-driest-places/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> in the ocean. This extra ocean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-appears-to-have-a-secret-liquid-phase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> nudges sea levels ever upward. 



This means that coastal communities stand at greater risk of flooding. Many scientists see this as a sign that water management and carbon policies must adapt.



Changes in where water pools also lead to a different distribution of mass on Earth. That small shift has subtle consequences for global ocean currents.



Although climate records point to gradual warming since the time of the <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Industrial Revolution</a>, the recent and more rapid warming amplifies the trend of land water loss and raises questions about safety for coastal populations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clues-from-polar-shifts">Clues from polar shifts</h2>



Experts have detected a slight wobble in Earth's rotation. The new <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw5851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a> verifies that declining land water drives this wobble.&nbsp;



“When I read this thing, I was very excited,” said <a href="https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=38094" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luis Samaniego</a>, a professor of hydrology and data science at the University of Potsdam. Such a wobble may seem small, but it points to sweeping changes in the distribution of mass.&nbsp;



He describes the findings as a wake-up call. This signal reveals a potential permanent shift in how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-might-have-formed-long-before-galaxies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water</a> travels across the planet.



Land storage and polar motion are intertwined. Altering one can trigger a cascade of effects in atmospheric and oceanic systems.



Samaniego notes that ignoring these indicators is risky. He warns that deeper crises might unfold unless water consumption patterns change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-toward-solutions">Looking toward solutions</h2>



The research underscores the urgency to protect our water resources. Reducing greenhouse emissions is a central step in slowing this drying trend.



Better irrigation practices can ease the burden on underground reservoirs, but dry spells will keep escalating unless efforts to reduce overuse gain momentum. 



Some regions have started adopting water-smart agriculture to limit waste. Others are raising public awareness about the fragile balance between supply and demand.



Scientists believe that collaboration among policymakers, farmers, and communities could avert the worst outcomes. 



People are searching for ways to tap into technology and policy changes without straining natural ecosystems.



Ryu remains hopeful that actions taken now can mitigate further damage. The next steps depend on stricter water allocation rules and careful monitoring of weather extremes.



Tracking how water moves between land and ocean is critical for future resilience. Ongoing research will hopefully reveal fresh insights to guide the management of this precious resource.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw5851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Earth's land-based water storage has drastically diminished and it's not being replaced

New data suggests that Earth's ability to store water on...

The growing number of legal psychedelic therapy programs in places like Colorado and Oregon has sparked new questions about how these substances affect people beyond traditional clinical outcomes. One area gaining more attention is how psychedelics influence sexuality, gender identity, and romantic relationships.



A new study by researchers from the <a href="https://www.buffalo.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University at Buffalo</a>, University of Michigan Medical School, University of Exeter, and the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie offers the first real data on this topic. 



Published in the Journal of Sex Research, the study surveyed nearly 600 people about their experiences with psychedelics like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psilocybin-could-help-millions-who-suffer-from-depression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psilocybin mushrooms</a>, LSD, ecstasy (MDMA), and ketamine. 



The results show that these substances may play a role in shaping how people view their intimate lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychedelics-and-sexuality">Psychedelics and sexuality </h2>



Participants in the study reported that psychedelic experiences led to deeper feelings of connection with their partners. 



Many described improved relationship quality, increased attraction to their current partners, and more satisfying sexual experiences.



Dr. Daniel Kruger is a research associate professor in the University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions and first author on the paper.



“People in clinical trials and people going on psychedelic retreats in other countries have talked about a broad range of positive effects, including greater self-insight and feeling more connected to other people," said Dr. Kruger. "Could there be benefits for intimate relationships in the long-term?” 



This line of questioning is what motivated the team to go deeper, especially since no previous studies had explored how psychedelics may affect gender identity or sexual behavior. 



To fill this gap, the researchers asked participants to reflect on how their psychedelic use shaped aspects of their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/men-exhibit-better-sexual-health-eating-a-plant-based-vegan-diet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sexual</a> and romantic lives.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changes-in-sexual-attraction">Changes in sexual attraction </h2>



About 70% of respondents said their sexuality or sexual experiences were influenced by psychedelic use. Of those, 65% noticed changes in the short term, while nearly 53% said the effects lasted over time. 



Around 10% said their gender identity or expression had shifted after using psychedelics. Some described a new awareness of gender fluidity, with feelings that fluctuated between masculine and feminine.



One of the most unexpected findings was how many participants experienced changes in sexual attraction. 



“I think the biggest surprise for me was the increase in same-sex attraction, reported by a quarter of women and about one in eight men,” said Dr. Kruger.



“A third of those with other gender identities also reported changes. Most people did not experience this, but the fact that so many people did is striking.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-mental-health-treatments">Rethinking mental health treatments</h2>



The idea that psychedelics could be the next wave in psychiatric treatment isn’t new, but this study adds another layer to the conversation. 



Dr. Kruger noted that while psychedelics hold promise, they’re not a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/confirmed-magic-mushrooms-can-effectively-treat-depression/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magic cure</a>. “Many people think that psychedelics will be the next generation of psychiatric medications. And psychedelics seem like they could be much more effective.”



Still, Dr. Kruger emphasized caution: people shouldn’t “just think of psychedelics as a magic pill that just makes everything better.”



Legal access is expanding, and with it, usage is increasing - especially among young adults. Many older adults are now trying psychedelics for therapeutic purposes too.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/psychedelic-use-linked-to-higher-risk-of-schizophrenia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychedelic use</a> may be at an all-time high among young adults, and many older adults are trying psychedelics for the therapeutic benefits,” said Dr. Kruger.



“There are huge implications for public health when so many people are using psychedelics. We need to reduce risks and protect people from harms and educate people so they know what they are getting into.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychedelics-and-sex-research">Psychedelics and sex research</h2>



Since this was the first study to focus on the intersection of psychedelics and sexuality, it was designed to cast a wide net. The researchers now plan to dig deeper.



A new version of the survey is already underway, and it’s open to any adult who has used psychedelics. Participants can respond anonymously.



As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-offers-new-explanation-for-how-psychedelic-drugs-work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychedelic therapy</a> moves further into the mainstream, understanding how it affects not just the brain but also the heart - and identity - will become more important. This study is just the beginning of that conversation.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2025.2479197" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Journal of Sex Research</a>.



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Psychedelics, sexuality, and self-discovery: What a new study reveals

The growing number of legal psychedelic therapy programs in places...

Staying awake when tired feels like walking through fog. For humans, missed sleep dulls our thinking, slows our reflexes, and clouds our focus. Yet we often push through. In the wild, though, the price of sleep deprivation can mean life or death. 



Animals have evolved strange and clever sleep strategies to manage this. Birds, in particular, display some of the most <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bird-evolution-timeline-pushed-back-20-million-years-by-baminornis-zhenghensis-discovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fascinating adaptations</a> in the animal kingdom.



One of their most intriguing tricks is the ability to sleep with one eye open. This behavior lets birds keep half their brain alert while the other half rests deeply. It’s a survival skill. But what happens when even this isn’t enough?



A new study on European jackdaws reveals the limits of this behavior. It shows that, when pushed too far, even birds that sleep with one eye open may give in to full, vulnerable rest.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-art-of-asymmetric-sleep">The art of asymmetric sleep</h2>



Sleep takes many forms across species. In humans, we move through stages like REM and non-REM sleep in 90-minute cycles. Our brains rest in waves, switching between deep rest and vivid dreams. 



Birds follow a similar pattern but in shorter segments. They rest in bursts, adjusting their rhythm to match their surroundings.



Some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decoding-evolution-how-birds-can-help-us-prevent-pandemics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> go even further by sleeping asymmetrically. This means one half of the brain stays awake while the other half slips into non-REM sleep. 



Ducks often use this trick to remain watchful while still getting rest. The open eye faces out, keeping a lookout for danger. The closed eye faces inward, allowing that side of the brain to recharge.



This type of sleep helps birds navigate dangerous environments. It allows them to remain partially conscious without fully sacrificing rest. But this ability isn’t as powerful as full, deep sleep. It provides protection but not full restoration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-deep-sleep-matters-for-birds">Why deep sleep matters for birds</h2>



Asymmetric sleep helps with safety, but it’s not always enough. Deep non-REM sleep clears waste from the brain and helps consolidate memory. It recharges the system. 



Doing this with only one hemisphere takes longer and isn’t as effective. That’s why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> still need periods of symmetrical sleep, when both brain hemispheres rest at the same time.



Researchers have long wondered how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-adapt-their-survival-strategies-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a> decide when to use one sleep type over another. What triggers the shift? When does safety win, and when does the need to recover push past the risk?



The new study on jackdaws brings these questions closer to answers. By observing how these birds recover from sleep loss, scientists uncovered a tipping point. When deprived of sleep, the jackdaws gave up their asymmetric sleep patterns. 



They chose full, deep sleep in both hemispheres, even though it made them more vulnerable to threats.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exhausted-birds-choose-deep-sleep">Exhausted birds choose deep sleep</h2>



The research, led by scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence and the <a href="https://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences</a>, focused on how jackdaws balance safety and sleep. Other studies have shown that many animals use flexible sleep strategies in tough conditions. 



Great frigatebirds sleep mid-flight using one side of the brain. Mallard ducks sleep with one eye open when they’re at the edge of their group. Northern fur seals also sleep asymmetrically when floating in the ocean.



Humans aren’t so different. On the first night in a new place, one half of our brain often stays more alert than the other. It’s a kind of natural night watch. But unlike birds, we don’t have the ability to fully control this process or keep one eye open at will.



In jackdaws, sleep deprivation shifted the balance. The birds spent more time in deep, symmetrical sleep, especially early in the night. They needed to recover fast, and asymmetric sleep wasn’t enough.



“Sleep is a dangerous part of life for many animals, as it leaves them exposed to all kinds of risks,” noted Niels Rattenborg, group leader at the <a href="https://www.bi.mpg.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence</a>.



“Some birds can function surprisingly well on far less sleep than we can, but even that strategy appears to have its limits. We have found that when they’re tired, jackdaws are more likely to sleep deeply – even if that means becoming more vulnerable." 



"Observing how birds navigate the trade-off between vigilance and sleep may help us better understand sleep in general.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-jackdaw-brain">Inside the jackdaw brain</h2>



To explore how the birds managed their sleep after deprivation, researchers tracked nine jackdaws using EEG recordings. These scans measured brain activity during different sleep phases. 



The team wanted to know which parts of the brain rested more deeply, and how that might relate to the bird’s behavior when awake.



Their findings were revealing. Some areas of the brain slept more deeply than others, suggesting that parts that had been more active during the day needed more rest at night. For example, areas linked to vision and decision-making showed stronger sleep signals. The hippocampus, associated with memory, showed less change.



This selective rest could help birds recover without completely losing awareness. But when exhaustion built up, even this wasn’t enough. Deep, full-brain sleep took over. The birds prioritized recovery over safety.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sleep-strategies-are-shaped-by-evolution">Sleep strategies are shaped by evolution</h2>



“Our findings reveal that even the highly flexible sleep strategies used by jackdaws have limits,” said Peter Meerlo, a group leader at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences.



“That tells us something fundamental about sleep: it’s not just a passive state, but a behavior shaped by both evolution and environmental demands."



"The study offers a fresh perspective on how animals balance the need for sleep with the risk of predation or other threats – and could help us better understand how sleep loss affects brain function more broadly, including in humans.”



Sleep isn’t just a biological requirement. It’s a behavior shaped by millions of years of challenge and change. Animals like jackdaws show us the trade-offs involved in survival. They sleep lightly when they can, but give in when they must.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-humans-can-learn-from-jackdaws">What humans can learn from jackdaws</h2>



This research on jackdaws goes beyond bird behavior. It speaks to something shared across <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/some-birds-use-biofluorescence-glowing-brightly-to-attract-mates-birds-of-paradise/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a>. The need to rest. The limits of endurance. And the invisible costs of staying awake too long.



Even the most flexible sleepers hit a wall. The jackdaws remind us that sleep is not optional. Whether in the trees or in our beds, recovery matters. Our brains, like theirs, have limits – and sometimes, the only way to recover is to truly switch off.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(25)00293-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a>.



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Tired birds sleep more deeply, trading safety for rest

Staying awake when tired feels like walking through fog. For...

Scientists recently spotted a peculiar new magnetic spin phase that defies conventional thinking. It merges highly ordered and significantly disordered electron spins in the same lattice, which experts are calling the half-ice, half-fire state.



This unique combination surfaced in a one-dimensional model, where many had assumed such dramatic spin transformations could never emerge. It forces a rethink of our understanding of <a href="https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/Imagnet.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetism</a>, hinting at fresh ways to manage and manipulate these <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-24465-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic-scale magnets</a>.



These <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.266701">insights</a> come from physicists Weiguo Yin and Alexei Tsvelik, who both work at the U.S. Department of Energy's (<a href="https://www.energy.gov" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DOE</a>) <a href="https://www.bnl.gov/world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brookhaven National Laboratory</a>.



The experts noticed that the system’s so-called hot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/altermagnetism-third-form-of-magnetism-existence-confirmed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spins</a>, which tend to fluctuate, swapped roles with the so-called cold spins, which normally remain rigid and aligned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetic-spin-roles-switch-with-heat">Magnetic spin roles switch with heat</h2>



The phenomenon shares roots with an earlier <a href="https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.224413" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">discovery</a> called "half fire, half ice," which was first recorded in 2016. In that earlier scenario, the hot region resided on one sublattice, while the cold region took hold on another.



In the new half-ice, half-fire phase, these assignments flip, creating a starkly different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-is-shifting-and-putting-navigation-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic prof</a><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-magnetic-field-is-shifting-and-putting-navigation-at-risk/">ile</a>. The switch highlights how small temperature adjustments might ignite abrupt changes in spin order, even in low-dimensional systems once thought immune to such transformations.



Much of this hinges on the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/ferrimagnetic-material" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ferrimagnet</a> involved, a material with sublattices that carry unequal magnetic moments. 



Unlike a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/ferromagnet" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ferromagnet</a>, where all spins align in one direction, or an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/antiferromagnetic-material" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">antiferromagnet</a>, where spins alternate in sign, a ferrimagnet possesses a net magnetization, but not every spin is identical.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-magnetic-spins-matter">Why magnetic spins matter</h2>



Electron spins act like tiny bar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magnetic-levitation-breakthrough-unlocks-gravity-free-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnets</a>, each pointing in an up or down orientation. Their collective behavior sets the stage for everything from magnetic tapes to advanced sensors.



Engineers leverage this property in <a href="https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.76.323" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spintronics</a>, a branch of electronics that exploits spin rather than just electric charge. By controlling how spins align, devices can become faster and less power-hungry than traditional semiconductor-based electronics.



Some researchers even look to <a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/quantum-computing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum computing</a>, where the superposition of spins can store vast amounts of data more efficiently than conventional bits. These systems often require delicate temperature conditions, so finding a stable phase transition at moderate heat levels could be a game-changer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-narrow-window-for-change">A narrow window for change</h2>



One striking aspect of half ice, half fire is its ultrasharp transition at a practical temperature. Many one-dimensional spin models never show phase transitions at finite temperature, which makes this discovery particularly surprising.



In simple terms, the spins reorganize in a near-instant flip when certain thermal energy levels are reached. This abrupt realignment points to hidden pathways in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-proven-to-be-rapidly-changing-and-now-rotating-backwards/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic materials</a> that standard theories do not fully address.



This quick switch correlates with a sudden rearrangement of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/entropy-physics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">entropy</a>, the formal measure of disorder within a system. Minor thermal inputs can shift the balance between hot and cold spins, marking a borderline between two distinctly ordered magnetic states.



Such an entropy-driven flip could fuel innovations in refrigeration technology by exploiting a magnetocaloric effect. That effect involves adjusting magnetic fields or temperatures to produce cooling, which offers a greener alternative to conventional compressors that rely on chemical refrigerants.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-information-storage">Implications for information storage</h2>



Data storage often hinges on how easily a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/altermagnetism-third-form-of-magnetism-existence-confirmed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">magnetic</a> domain can be switched. If half ice, half fire permits quick toggling with minimal energy, it could serve as a candidate for next-generation memory elements.



During a normal write operation, devices expend energy flipping magnetic bits on and off. If a system can trigger a flip through a tiny thermal or field tweak, it might enable high-density memories that run cooler and last longer.



“Finding new states with exotic physical properties - and being able to understand and control the transitions between those states - are central problems in the fields of <a href="https://www.nature.com/subjects/condensed-matter-physics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">condensed matter physics</a> and <a href="https://www.mtu.edu/materials/what/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">materials science</a>,” said Yin.&nbsp;



“We suggest that our findings may open a new door to understanding and controlling phases and phase transitions in certain materials,” said Tsvelik.



Experts hope to dig deeper into the role of lattice distortions, electric charge, and orbital influences in shaping this phenomenon. Future studies may reveal new angles on how spins behave under competing forces, which would open doors to fresh perspectives in magnetic research.



Some anticipate that quantum effects might further complicate the picture in other, low-dimensional magnets. Whether these effects create additional half ice, half fire states or unlock as yet unknown phenomena remains to be seen.



The study is published in <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.266701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a>.



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Half ice, half fire: The bizarre new magnetic spin state

Scientists recently spotted a peculiar new magnetic spin phase that...

Each year, billions of animals migrate in search of better conditions. These journeys shape ecosystems, drive evolution, and challenge individual survival. 



Migration, however, is not a simple instinctual response. It demands a blend of physical traits and behavioral choices. In <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a>, even a subtle anatomical difference - like eye size - can influence who migrates and who stays behind.



Recent research from <a href="https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lund University</a> reveals that the European roach (Rutilus rutilus), a common freshwater fish, shows a surprising link between eye structure and migration behavior.



Specifically, roach that migrate between lakes and streams tend to have larger pupils than those who remain year-round in a single habitat. This physical feature helps them see better in murky water and boosts their ability to find food, a vital edge in the energy-intensive act of migration.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-a-fish-migrate">What makes a fish migrate</h2>



Roach are partial <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/native-fish-species-are-facing-double-trouble/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migrants</a>. That means only some individuals in a population leave the lake each winter to enter connected streams. 



The rest stay put, braving seasonal changes in place. This difference in behavior offers researchers a unique lens through which to understand how physical traits affect life strategies.



The research team, led by biologist Kaj Hulthén, tracked more than 2,000 roach across two Danish lakes - Loldrup Sø and Søgård Sø - over several years. 



They photographed the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-pushing-freshwater-fish-toward-the-poles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a>, implanted each one with a tiny transponder, and monitored <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-fish-species-are-the-big-catch-of-the-future/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">movements</a> using underwater antennas placed at stream inlets and outlets.



“We started by taking photos of the fishes’ eyes and then followed the migration patterns of 2,000 individual roaches over several years and in two different lakes by using implanted electronic transponders,” said Hulthén, who is a biology researcher at Lund University.



“It was shown that roach that migrated had larger pupils relative to individuals that chose to stay in the lake throughout the year.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eye-size-matters-for-fish-that-migrate">Eye size matters for fish that migrate</h2>



Larger pupils allow more light into the eye, improving vision in low-light conditions. For roach, this visual boost helps detect tiny prey like zooplankton. Using simulations, the researchers showed that roach with larger pupils could see farther - especially in dim twilight conditions, when many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bleaching-effect-coral-loss-threatens-fisheries-and-livelihoods/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> feed.



Even a 1-4% increase in pupil diameter led to as much as a 5% increase in the volume of water a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fish-diversity-has-changed-dramatically-on-the-great-barrier-reef/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fish</a> could visually scan.



That matters because in aquatic environments, visual range often dictates feeding success. These small gains are enough to help migratory roach gather the energy reserves they need before entering food-poor winter streams.



In twilight, detection range for 1 mm prey reached up to 20 cm - enough for practical foraging. The advantage fades under starlight but remains relevant during dusk and dawn, which are key feeding times.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feeding-now-to-survive-later">Feeding now to survive later</h2>



Migrating roach face a trade-off. Streams have fewer predators but offer less food. To survive the winter, migrants must build up fat stores beforehand. Larger pupils may be a tool to gather more food before departure and to stay active longer each day by foraging in low light.



This connection between eyesight and feeding has deep evolutionary roots. Eye size reflects both opportunity and cost. Bigger eyes offer better vision, but they require more energy to build and maintain. For a migrating roach, the benefits seem to outweigh the cost.



“The fact that migrating individuals have an improved ability to detect visual objects such as zooplankton indicates strong selection for effective food searches. This is crucial to cover the energy needs that migration requires," said Hulthén.



"These results correspond well with previous research, which showed that migrating roach with insufficient energy reserves run a higher risk of dying in the streams."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-with-big-eyes-are-likely-to-migrate">Fish with big eyes are likely to migrate</h2>



In both study lakes, researchers found a clear pattern: roach with larger relative pupil sizes were more likely to migrate. 



The correlation was strongest in Søgård Sø, where murkier water creates a dimmer visual environment. This suggests that visual demands may vary by location, shaping individual behaviour accordingly.



On average, migrant roach in Søgård Sø had pupils 4.2% larger than residents. In Loldrup Sø, the difference was smaller at 1.1%. While modest, these changes are functionally significant. Larger pupils helped fish see better, especially in the dim light that dominates northern winters.



Roach are planktivores. They feed on small, fast-moving prey that require sharp eyesight to detect. Under experimental conditions, fish given more food before winter were more likely to migrate, did so earlier, and stayed in streams longer. Those with less food died more often. 



This supports the idea that strong visual skills, like those enabled by larger pupils, help fish meet their energy needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-migratory-syndrome-takes-shape">A migratory syndrome takes shape</h2>



The study’s findings contribute to a growing view that migration is not just a behavioral choice. It’s a full-body strategy involving vision, body shape, energy storage, and risk-taking.



Together, these traits form a “migratory syndrome” - a suite of characteristics that help fish survive the challenges of moving between habitats.



The eye, often taken for granted in ecological studies, now appears central to this survival kit. By enhancing foraging efficiency, it helps determine who has the resources to leave and who stays behind.



“Roach play an important role in the ecosystem. By understanding why some individuals migrate and other don’t, we can gain a deeper insight into how fish populations respond to environmental changes, which in turn could affect both fish stocks and the lake dynamics as a whole,” said Hulthén.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fish-eyes-can-change-shape">Fish eyes can change shape</h2>



Whether these differences in eye morphology are genetic or a response to the environment remains unknown. 



However, past studies show that fish eyes can change shape depending on food availability and predator pressure. That means both nature and nurture could play roles in shaping eye size and which fish migrate.



Interestingly, the benefits of bigger eyes seem to matter most in moderate turbidity. In very clear water, all fish see well. In extremely dark or muddy water, vision may become useless. This window of usefulness hints at why migration-related eye differences show up more clearly in some lakes than others.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eye-size-and-fish-migration">Eye size and fish migration</h2>



Roach migration has ecological ripples beyond the fish themselves. Migrants affect predators, prey, and nutrient cycles. 



Understanding how physical traits like pupil size influence migration choices can help scientists predict how fish populations may respond to environmental change.



In this study, a tiny difference in pupil size revealed a key factor in migratory success. It highlights the tight link between form, function, and behavior.



Eyes, often symbols of awareness and insight, prove once again to be more than just windows to the world—they are tools of survival, helping fish decide whether to stay or go.



The study is published in the <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.70015" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Animal Ecology</a>.



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Bigger pupils help migrating fish survive

Each year, billions of animals migrate in search of better...

Insects quietly run the world. They pollinate crops, recycle organic matter, and feed countless animals. Despite their importance, scientists know very little about how most insect species are doing. 



There are about one million known insect species. Yet only 1% - roughly 12,100 species - have been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (<a href="https://iucn.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">IUCN</a>). Among these, around 20% face threats of extinction.



Monitoring efforts have mostly focused on butterflies, dragonflies, and bumblebees in North America and Europe. Other regions, especially Africa, Asia, and South America, remain largely unstudied. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insect-populations-dramatically-declining-around-the-world-rising-temperatures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">global picture</a> of insect health is still blurry.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-urgent-plan-to-track-insect-declines">Urgent plan to track insect declines</h2>



To address this, scientists from the UK Centre for Ecology &amp; Hydrology (<a href="https://www.ceh.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UKCEH</a>) and the Zoological Society of London (<a href="https://www.zsl.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ZSL</a>) propose a broader method. Their goal is to act quickly before climate change, pollution, land use shifts, and invasive species cause irreversible harm.



The new method integrates several ways of studying insects. It includes long-term tracking of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/insects-boost-plant-evolution-in-surprising-ways/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">diversity</a> and abundance, comparisons across different habitats, structured expert input, and controlled experiments. The researchers believe this mix offers a more complete view than any single approach.



Dr. Rob Cooke is an ecological modeler at UKCEH and joint lead author of the study.



“We need to find out whether insect declines are widespread and what’s causing them. The challenge is like a giant jigsaw puzzle where there are thousands of missing pieces, but we do not have decades to wait to fill these gaps and then act,“ noted Dr. Cook.



“There is a lot of interest in monitoring charismatic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/future-of-farming-insect-waste-reshapes-soil-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> such as bees and butterflies, but few people care about the supposedly unpleasant insects, even though they too provide benefits for us." 



"For example, earwigs feed on aphids and other garden pests while cockroaches eat decaying material and keep soils healthy.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-insect-monitoring-system-that-works">An insect monitoring system that works</h2>



The framework combines time series trends, such as counting how butterfly <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/robotic-insects-may-be-the-future-of-farming-and-plant-pollination/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">populations</a> shift over a decade. It also uses spatial comparisons to see how insects vary between forests, grasslands, or farms. 



Researchers conduct experiments that test insect responses to threats, like removing pesticides or invasive species from certain areas. When hard data is missing, they gather expert judgments to predict how insects may react to different pressures.



This layered approach lets scientists make more informed decisions while still being open about gaps and uncertainties. It balances speed and precision in a way that single-method studies cannot match.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-case-for-insect-inclusion">Case for insect inclusion</h2>



“Insects are an incredibly important part of our ecosystems, pollinating around 80% of flowering plant species and vital for 35% of global food production, yet they are undervalued and understudied,“ noted Dr. Charlotte Outhwaite of ZSL’s <a href="https://www.zsl.org/what-we-do/institute-of-zoology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Institute of Zoology</a>, joint lead author of the study.



“With a million described species it would take too long to figure what works best for each species. Instead we want to find large-scale actions that benefit the most insects. For this, we need to use all the available information we have.”



To meet this goal, the scientists propose using known responses from well-studied insects to estimate how lesser-known species might respond under similar conditions. This gives policymakers a usable way forward, even if some data is still missing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-phase-of-the-glitrs-project">Next phase of the GLiTRS project</h2>



The new framework will now guide the Global Insect Threat-Response Synthesis (GLiTRS) project. Researchers aim to model insect responses to major threats across many environments. 



By combining all sources of data - field studies, expert insights, and experiments - they hope to build a reliable picture of insect health worldwide. This new framework doesn’t pretend to be perfect.



But it offers something we desperately need: a way to understand insect declines in real time, using every piece of information available. It also shows how science can adapt when faced with complex, global challenges.



Insects have been quietly supporting life on Earth for hundreds of millions of years. Now they need our attention. The question is not whether we care, but whether we will act before it's too late.



The project is backed by the&nbsp;Natural Environment Research Council (<a href="https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NERC</a>). It involves teams from the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University College London</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Cambridge</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adq2110" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Very little is known about 99% of all insects on Earth

Insects quietly run the world. They pollinate crops, recycle organic...

The image of a cold Coca-Cola bottle on a summer day is iconic. But behind that image lies an escalating crisis. By 2030, Coca-Cola’s plastic waste could reach 1.33 billion pounds annually in oceans and waterways. 



That staggering figure comes from a new analysis by <a href="https://oceana.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oceana</a>, a nonprofit focused on marine protection. The weight is enough to fill the stomachs of 18 million whales. 



It’s not just a problem of pollution anymore. It’s a symptom of unchecked growth and a warning sign of deeper environmental neglect.



The report lands at a time when microplastics have become nearly impossible to ignore. These tiny particles now <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-currents-may-soon-clean-up-waste-thanks-to-space-tech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">infiltrate ecosystems</a>, drinking water, and even human organs. Their presence is no longer surprising. 



What shocks scientists now is how quickly they’ve become a global threat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-risks-hidden-in-every-sip">Health risks hidden in every sip</h2>



The spread of microplastics brings real health concerns. Researchers increasingly link <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-scientists-are-using-air-to-recycle-plastic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic particles</a> to cancer, infertility, and cardiovascular problems. 



As plastic breaks down in the ocean, it doesn’t disappear - it transforms into particles small enough to enter the human body. The food chain, starting from marine life, now carries traces of our packaging choices.



"<a href="https://www.coca-colacompany.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coca-Cola</a> is by far the largest manufacturer and seller of beverages in the world. Because of that, they really matter when it comes to the impact of all this on the ocean," said Matt Littlejohn, who leads Oceana's campaigns targeting corporate polluters.



That impact, as recent data show, is no longer hypothetical. It’s measurable, predictable, and expanding.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coca-cola-leads-plastic-pollution-rankings">Coca-Cola leads plastic pollution rankings</h2>



Coca-Cola ranks first among the world’s top plastic polluters. This ranking comes from a 2024 study published in Science Advances. 



Following closely behind are other major players like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pepsico.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PepsiCo</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nestle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nestlé</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.danone.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Danone</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.altria.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Altria</a>.&nbsp;Oceana&nbsp;used Coca-Cola’s own public data, from 2018 to 2023, and combined it with future sales projections. The picture it paints is not optimistic.



If current trends continue, Coca-Cola will exceed 4.13 million metric tonnes of plastic use per year by 2030. That translates to over 9.1 billion pounds of plastic annually. 



Using a peer-reviewed method published in the journal Science, researchers estimate that 1.33 billion of those pounds will end up in aquatic ecosystems. That equals nearly 220 billion half-liter plastic bottles.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insufficient-efforts-by-coca-cola">Insufficient efforts by Coca-Cola </h2>



Reusable packaging once appeared to be Coca-Cola’s answer to this crisis. In 2022, the company declared that reusable packaging was "among the most effective ways to reduce waste." 



They even announced a target: 25% of all packaging would be reusable by 2030. But in December 2024, that pledge vanished from their sustainability roadmap.



Instead of reuse, Coca-Cola’s current strategy focuses on recycling and collection. While those efforts sound helpful, environmental experts see them as insufficient. 



Recycling, especially when dealing with thin single-use plastic, often costs more energy than it saves. And worse, it shifts the burden from corporations to consumers.



"Recycling is great, don't get me wrong," said Littlejohn. "But if you're going to use recycled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-treaty-is-a-historic-opportunity-to-stop-a-human-health-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic</a> to produce more single-use plastic, that's a problem."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-reuse-still-matters">Why reuse still matters</h2>



The value of reusable packaging lies in its durability. A single glass bottle can be reused up to 50 times. Thicker PET plastic containers allow up to 25 uses before needing replacement. 



Each reuse reduces plastic waste, production emissions, and energy use. Despite this, major brands like Coca-Cola continue to push for recycling as the primary solution.



The company’s quiet withdrawal from its reuse goals weakens global efforts to reduce plastic output. Refillable systems demand infrastructure and planning, but they offer a long-term way out of the plastic loop. 



Recycling, in contrast, often serves as a short-term patch on a broken system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coca-cola-s-plastic-use-and-climate-change">Coca-Cola’s plastic use and climate change</h2>



Plastic is not just a litter issue. It’s a carbon issue. Nearly all plastic is made from fossil fuels. That means every bottle contributes to climate change - from its production to its disposal.



The connection between plastic waste and rising global temperatures grows stronger with each report. Companies that produce single-use plastic on a massive scale add to both crises: environmental and climatic.



Yet Coca-Cola has shown that change is possible. In several countries, they already operate large-scale refillable systems. Brazil, Germany, Nigeria, and even regions in the United States, like southern Texas, have adopted these models.



"They have the largest reusable infrastructure of any beverage company, and they have the ability to grow that and show the way for the rest of the industry," said Littlejohn.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-coca-cola-follow-through">Will Coca-Cola follow through?</h2>



Coca-Cola says it's still invested in refillable options. In a statement to AFP, a spokesperson shared: "We have been investing and remain committed to expand our refillable packaging options, and this work will continue as part of our consumer-centric strategy."



The words suggest hope, but critics remain skeptical. Without public targets or timelines, such promises risk becoming just another footnote in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/surprise-study-some-scientists-call-for-halting-ocean-plastic-cleanup-efforts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">growing crisis</a>. 



Real progress demands transparency and follow-through. The oceans are already paying the price of delay.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-convenience-vs-commitment">Convenience vs. commitment</h2>



Coca-Cola, with its vast global reach, has the tools to drive real change. The company’s influence over supply chains, consumer habits, and industry trends makes it a key player in solving the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/is-it-still-possible-to-save-the-ocean-from-plastic-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic crisis</a>. 



But leadership requires more than statements. It needs bold decisions that value long-term sustainability over short-term gain.



Recycling is not enough. The solution lies in reuse, reduction, and rethinking how beverage packaging works. As the world grapples with rising plastic levels and declining ocean health, Coca-Cola stands at a crossroads. 



What it chooses next could define its legacy - for better or worse.



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Coca-Cola is on pace to dump 1.3 billion pounds of plastic into our oceans each year

The image of a cold Coca-Cola bottle on a summer...

A single bad food experience can be enough to change eating habits for a lifetime. Now, researchers have identified the precise brain region responsible for this powerful type of memory in mice, offering insights into how the brain links cause and effect when there's a delay between them - like getting sick hours after a meal.&nbsp;



This discovery may not only explain why certain foods suddenly become unpalatable but could also inform research into other lasting memory associations, including those involved in trauma and PTSD.



The new findings come from neuroscientists at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton University</a> who set out to explore the brain mechanisms behind “one-shot learning,” where a single event creates a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-does-our-brain-form-long-term-memories/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">long-term memory</a>.&nbsp;



“I haven't had food poisoning in a while, but now whenever I talk to people at meetings, I hear all about their food poisoning experiences,” said lead author Christopher Zimmerman, a postdoctoral fellow at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute.&nbsp;



Inspired by such anecdotes, Zimmerman and his colleagues developed an experiment to understand how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-health-and-diet-nutrition-helps-lower-dementia-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> forms food aversions even when illness sets in long after eating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-effects-of-food-poisoning-in-the-brain">Effects of food poisoning in the brain</h2>



Working in the lab of professor Ilana Witten, Zimmerman began by introducing mice to a new flavor - grape Kool-Aid. “It's a better model for how we actually learn,” he explained.&nbsp;



“Normally, scientists in the field will use sugar alone, but that's not a normal flavor that you would encounter in a meal. Kool-Aid, while it's still not typical, is a little bit closer since it has more dimensions to its flavor profile.”



Mice were trained to poke their noses into a port to receive a drop of the drink. Half an hour later, they were given an injection to induce temporary illness, mimicking food poisoning.&nbsp;



When offered a choice two days later between Kool-Aid and plain water, they strongly avoided the former - evidence that the unpleasant outcome had left a strong impression.&nbsp;



But what most intrigued the team was discovering which part of the brain was responsible for this aversive memory: the central amygdala.



“If you look across the entire brain, where novel versus familiar flavors are represented, the amygdala turns out to be a really interesting place because it's preferentially activated by novel flavors at every stage in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/secrets-of-learning-how-the-brain-stores-new-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">learning</a>,” Zimmerman said.&nbsp;



“It’s active when the mouse is drinking, when the mouse is feeling sick later, and then when the mouse retrieves that negative memory days later.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memories-of-food-poisoning-in-the-brain">Memories of food poisoning in the brain</h2>



The central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lizard-brain-shapes-social-abilities-in-humans/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">amygdala</a> is a small structure located deep within the brain, known for processing emotional learning, particularly fear. 



The amygdala also receives a wide range of sensory information, including taste and smell, making it a logical - but previously unconfirmed - candidate for processing food-related memories.



Zimmerman recalled the thrill of the discovery: “I remember making the plot from the first animal and sharing it on Slack with Ilana. She was at my desk a minute later to talk about how exciting this is.”&nbsp;



That initial result was just the beginning. With more data, the researchers confirmed that the central amygdala plays a central role at every point in the learning process - when the flavor is first encountered, when sickness occurs, and when the memory is retrieved later.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-the-gut-to-the-brain">From the gut to the brain</h2>



To understand how the feeling of illness connects to memory, the team followed clues from earlier studies. They identified specialized cells in the hindbrain that produce a protein called CGRP. These cells send direct signals to the central amygdala, forming a neural bridge between the gut and the brain.&nbsp;



When the researchers stimulated these cells 30 minutes after the mice had tasted Kool-Aid - without inducing actual illness - the mice still developed the same aversion.



Even more striking was the finding that sickness appeared to reactivate the same neurons that had responded to the Kool-Aid in the first place.&nbsp;



“It was as if the mice were thinking back and remembering the prior experience that caused them to later feel sick,” Witten said. “It was very cool to see this unfolding at the level of individual neurons.”



The researchers propose that novel flavors may “tag” neurons in the amygdala, priming them to remain sensitive to signals from the body for several hours after eating.&nbsp;



If the animal then experiences sickness during this window, the brain reactivates the tagged neurons and forges a lasting association between the flavor and the illness.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-beyond-the-dinner-table">Implications beyond the dinner table</h2>



Although the study focused on food aversion, the findings point to a broader framework for how the brain learns to link events separated by time - a process that's not well understood.&nbsp;



“Often when we learn in the real world, there's a long delay between whatever choice we’ve made and the outcome. But that’s not typically studied in the lab, so we don't really understand the neural mechanisms that support this kind of long delay learning,” Zimmerman said.&nbsp;



“Our hope is that these findings will provide a framework for thinking about how the brain might leverage memory recall to solve this learning problem in other situations.”



In addition to shedding light on everyday behaviors - like swearing off oysters after one bad experience - this research could have implications for how we understand <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/childhood-trauma-can-cause-muscle-decline-adult-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trauma</a>. 



Much like food poisoning, traumatic events are often followed by symptoms only after a delay, and yet they still form vivid, persistent memories in the brain.



By identifying the precise brain pathways involved in one-shot memory formation, scientists are a step closer to understanding how such associations are wired - and possibly how they might be rewired in the future.



The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-08828-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>,



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Food poisoning triggers lifelong changes in the brain

A single bad food experience can be enough to change...

A newly discovered species of parasitic wasp that lived alongside dinosaurs nearly 100 million years ago may have evolved a bizarre and highly specialized mechanism to trap other insects and turn them into unsuspecting incubators for its offspring.&nbsp;



Preserved in amber, the wasp appears to have used a Venus flytrap-like structure on its body to grasp potential hosts, offering scientists a fascinating glimpse into prehistoric parasitic behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-parasitic-wasp-like-no-other">Parasitic wasp like no other</h2>



The species, Sirenobethylus charybdis, was identified from 16 remarkably preserved specimens found in Cretaceous-period amber from Myanmar’s Kachin region. The research describes a novel grasping appendage located on the abdomen of the female <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unexpected-find-inside-the-eye-of-a-tiny-wasp-megaphragma-viggianii/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wasps</a>.



“When I looked at the first specimen, I noticed this expansion at the tip of the abdomen, and I thought this must be an air bubble. It’s quite often you see air bubbles around specimens in amber,” said Lars Vilhelmsen, study co-author and a curator at the <a href="https://snm.dk/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natural History Museum of Denmark</a>.&nbsp;



“But then I looked at a few more specimens and then went back to the first one. This was actually part of the animal.”



The structure’s purpose quickly intrigued the research team, especially once they observed its mobility across different specimens. 



"Sometimes the lower flap, as we call it, is open, and sometimes it’s closed,” Vilhelmsen said. “It was clearly a movable structure and something that was used to grasp something.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-wasp-like-a-venus-flytrap">Ancient wasp like a Venus flytrap</h2>



While nothing quite like this structure exists among <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stick-and-leaf-insects-have-all-evolved-the-same-basic-body-parts/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modern insects</a>, the researchers found the best comparison in an entirely different kingdom: the Venus flytrap.&nbsp;



“There’s no way you can know how an insect that died 100 million years ago was living. So you look for analogs in modern insect fauna. Do we have anything among wasps or other groups that looks like this?” Vilhelmsen said.&nbsp;



“And there’s no real analog within insects. We had to go all the way out of the animal kingdom into the plant kingdom to find something that remotely resembled this.”



Although the structure resembles a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/well-built-fences-keep-predators-from-harming-livestock/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">predator</a>’s trap, the team believes it was not used to kill. Instead, they propose that the wasp used it to seize other insects just long enough to lay eggs into their bodies.&nbsp;



Once released, the unwitting hosts would carry the wasp larvae, which would eventually consume them from the inside out. According to Vilhelmsen, the likely hosts were flying insects of similar size.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-window-into-ancient-parasitism">A window into ancient parasitism</h2>



Modern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fruit-flies-have-a-new-weapon-to-defend-against-parasitic-wasps/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parasitoid wasps</a> engage in comparable reproductive strategies. For instance, cuckoo wasps lay their eggs in the nests of other species, leaving their offspring to feed on the host’s young.&nbsp;



Yet the unique abdominal trapping mechanism seen in Sirenobethylus charybdis has no true parallel in living insects, adding to its mystery.



The amber in which the fossils were preserved provided an exceptionally detailed view of the wasp’s anatomy. In addition to Sirenobethylus charybdis, other remarkable finds from Myanmar amber have included everything from dinosaur tails and ancient spiders to crab and ant fossils.&nbsp;



The specimen of this wasp was purchased by a fossil collector and later donated to <a href="https://eng.cnu.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Capital Normal University</a>’s Key Laboratory of Insect Evolution and Environmental Changes in 2016.



However, the use of Myanmar amber in scientific research has become controversial in recent years due to ethical concerns surrounding the country’s political instability and military conflicts. 



Some paleontologists have called for a halt on studying these specimens until issues around their provenance and trade are resolved.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speculation-over-the-wasp-s-flytrap">Speculation over the wasp’s flytrap </h2>



The peculiar form and function of Sirenobethylus charybdis has captured the attention of entomologists and paleontologists alike. Phil Barden, an associate professor at the <a href="https://www.njit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Jersey Institute of Technology</a> who studies amber fossils, described the wasp as a “Cretaceous weirdo.”&nbsp;



“This is significant because there are around a million known insect species - even with all of that living diversity, there are still lots of unexpected surprises in the fossil record that are beyond imagination,” he said.



While Barden acknowledges the wasp flytrap hypothesis as “plausible,” he also expressed caution, noting it remains speculative.&nbsp;



“There appears to be clear evidence that the abdominal components would have had range of motion. There are also a number of setae, or hairs, that look to be in the right position to detect hosts and potentially immobilize them.”&nbsp;



Still, Barden suggested alternative possibilities, such as using the structure to sense prey in the soil or even to transport young wasps.



He also questioned why Sirenobethylus charybdis would need such a structure at all when many living parasitoid wasps rely solely on stingers or mouthparts to capture and manipulate hosts. This makes the discovery all the more intriguing.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unanswered-questions-and-new-possibilities">Unanswered questions and new possibilities</h2>



Vilhelmsen and his team believe a key clue lies in the wasp’s reproductive anatomy. The egg-laying organ, or ovipositor, is located directly adjacent to the clasping structure, supporting the theory that the mechanism was used during reproduction.&nbsp;



Yet all the known specimens are female, so scientists can’t rule out other functions, such as roles in mating.



“This is something unique, something I never expected to see, and something I couldn’t even imagine would be found,” Vilhelmsen said. “It’s a 10 out of 10.”



With every amber discovery, paleontologists inch closer to understanding the rich complexity of ancient ecosystems. And sometimes, as in the case of Sirenobethylus charybdis, they uncover something so strange and unexpected it defies comparison even among the millions of species alive today.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://bmcbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12915-025-02190-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">BMC Biology</a>.



Image Credit: Qiong Wu



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Parasitic wasp had a 'flytrap' for snatching its victims

A newly discovered species of parasitic wasp that lived alongside...

Regardless of how far apart we sit on branches of the evolutionary tree, human faces are very different from those of our ancestors. Modern humans can be recognized by their smaller facial structure when compared with Neanderthals and other hominin ancestors.



Anthropologists have long wondered why this difference exists and what kind of developmental changes in our facial bones led our species toward this slimmer appearance.



This difference is particularly noticeable when modern humans are lined up alongside the fossils of bigger-boned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tinshemet-cave-discovery-neanderthals-early-humans-sharing-and-complex-interactions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancestors</a> from distant eras.



<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724842500020X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Researchers</a> recently compared the evidence of facial bone growth in humans, Neanderthal remains, and chimpanzee skeletons.



One of the lead investigators, <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/human-origins/staff/alexandra-schuh/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alexandra Schuh</a> from the Max Planck Institute for <a href="https://www.eva.mpg.de/index/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Evolutionary Anthropology</a>, found that variations in the pace of bone growth may offer a core explanation for how our faces became more refined.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-vs-neanderthal-faces">Human vs. Neanderthal faces</h2>



Studying different groups side by side helps scientists pinpoint which growth patterns set each group apart. 



By measuring bone sizes at various life stages, experts see how the developing face changes over time. 



This reveals important clues about broader evolutionary shifts that shaped our modern appearance and separated us from our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-fossils-reveal-signs-of-a-population-collapse/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extinct predecessors</a>.



This comparative approach also pulls in data from surviving primate relatives like chimpanzees, which share many features but do not have the same facial proportions as seen in humans.



By including such living primates, scientists build a clearer timeline of how certain traits might have deep roots that stretch back millions of years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-growth-pattern-of-human-faces">Growth pattern of human faces</h2>



One key discovery is that our faces stop expanding earlier than those of other large-faced primates and extinct hominin groups.



A shorter growth window makes a difference in the final adult profile, since less time for bone growth means a smaller overall structure. 



This sets modern humans apart from their hefty-boned <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-evolution-was-more-complex-than-previously-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relatives</a> that are seen in archaeological finds.



Scientists observed that Neanderthal faces, for instance, keep growing for longer, allowing for a robust jaw and broader midface to develop. 



This pattern contrasts with ours, where growth slows around adolescence and locks in a leaner form, perhaps hinting at an evolutionary tweak that conserves energy while still supporting vital functions like chewing.



“Our findings reveal that a change in development - particularly during late growth stages - led to smaller faces. Compared to Neanderthals and chimpanzees who continue growing longer, human facial growth stops earlier, around adolescence, resulting in a smaller adult face,” said Schuh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-face-structure">Inside the face structure</h2>



Shifts in bone activities, including when cells deposit new layers or break down older layers, appear to guide this reduced growth. 



If the process winds down sooner, the upper jaw - called the <a href="https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/the-maxilla" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">maxilla</a> - does not project forward as much, leading to a face that is more compact and less imposing than that of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dna-analysis-reveals-most-recent-modern-human-to-interbreed-with-neanderthals/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Neanderthal</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/neanderthal-skull_compared_human-skull_Philipp-Gunz_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/neanderthal-skull_compared_human-skull_Philipp-Gunz_1s.webp" alt="Left: computed tomographic (CT) scan of a Neanderthal fossil (La Ferrassie 1). Right: CT scan of a modern human. Credit: Philipp Gunz" class="wp-image-1964150"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Left: computed tomographic (CT) scan of a Neanderthal fossil (La Ferrassie 1). Right: CT scan of a modern human. Click to enlarge. Credit: Philipp Gunz</figcaption></figure>



In larger-faced species, these bone activities remain more intense for a longer period, boosting the formation of thicker and more protruding features. 



This ongoing bone growth helps explain why some ancient skulls are strikingly big, and it shows that timing has a powerful role in setting each group’s appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-faces-grow-less-as-we-age">Faces grow less as we age</h2>



Even though certain facial traits appear early in life, a major distinction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neanderthal-behavior-provides-clues-about-their-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> emerges in those final developmental years before adulthood. 



“Identifying key developmental changes allows us to understand how species-specific traits emerged throughout human evolution,” said Schuh.



Researchers note that humans have a relatively extended childhood, yet our facial structures do not keep scaling up throughout that entire stage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-or-genetic-influences">Environmental or genetic influences</h2>



Some <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674046368" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experts</a> argue that better food processing and cooking might reduce strain on our jaw, but this alone seems insufficient to explain every detail. 



Others point to social or behavioral factors, suggesting that selective pressures may subtly shape how the face grows over time.



Biological data indicate that genetic mechanisms controlling bone growth may strongly steer the pace at which the face expands. 



Hormonal changes during adolescence could further speed up or slow down these processes, but researchers caution that the full story likely involves an interplay of genes, environment, and daily habits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-connecting-human-and-neanderthal-faces">Connecting human and Neanderthal faces</h2>



Building on these findings, scientists plan to examine more fossils from different time periods to see if other ancient human groups followed a similar pattern. 



They hope to trace shifts in facial growth rates across regions, comparing how different populations balanced the demands of survival with changes in jaw development.



By mapping these variations, experts hope to gain insight into which traits are universal and which might be unique offshoots of specific environments. 



This sort of detective work across the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fossil-record" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fossil record</a> pulls together biology, culture, and history, giving us a broader grasp of what shaped our defining look.



Clues also emerge about social evolution, given that facial expression and recognition might factor into how communities function. 



A smaller face could offer advantages in communication or other areas, though pinning down a direct link calls for deeper investigation into prehistoric behavior and ecological pressures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-did-we-learn">What did we learn?</h2>



Scientists agree that the timeline of facial growth stands out as a key to understanding why we appear different from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/list/human-ancestors" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ancestral humans</a>. 



Once that window shuts, the face remains smaller and less projected, a shift that may have opened doors to new adaptations while still meeting our species’ unique developmental needs.



These insights show that it is not only the shape of our face that changed, but also the time it took to get there. 



As research continues, discoveries about early growth may help us see that each subtle change in our bones has powerful consequences for our evolutionary course.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004724842500020X" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Human Evolution</a>.



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Did early humans and Neanderthals know they were different species? Perhaps, here's how

Regardless of how far apart we sit on branches of...

Fingerprint analysis has been a dependable tool in crime-solving for more than a century. Investigators lean on fingerprint evidence to identify suspects or connect them to specific crime scenes, believing that every print offers a distinctive code.



Yet, a team of researchers has found that prints from different fingers of the same person can sometimes appear more alike. 



This insight came from an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-will-outsmart-humans-when-we-crack-the-neural-code/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence</a> model that revealed surprising connections between prints. 



Hod Lipson, from Columbia Engineering, stands out in this effort to question widely accepted forensic norms, in collaboration with Wenyao Xu from the <a href="https://www.buffalo.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University at Buffalo</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-takes-on-fingerprints">AI takes on fingerprints</h2>



For decades, it has been taken for granted that fingerprints from different fingers of one individual do not match. Much of this belief stems from the assumption that each finger displays completely separate ridges, loops, and swirls. 



One anonymous reviewer even stated, “It is well known that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-microbiome-trillions-of-bacteria-unique-like-fingerprints/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">every fingerprint is unique</a>,” when confronted with the researchers’ work. 



Despite such resistance, an undergraduate senior at <a href="https://www.engineering.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Columbia Engineering</a> named Gabe Guo spearheaded a study that contradicts this long-standing assumption.



By using a public U.S. government database with roughly 60,000 prints, Guo fed pairs of fingerprints into a deep contrastive network. Some pairs belonged to the same person, while others came from different people. 



The artificial intelligence system became adept at telling when prints that looked different were actually from one individual, reaching an accuracy of 77% for single pairs. 



In cases where multiple samples were grouped together, the accuracy soared, offering the possibility of boosting existing forensic methods by more than tenfold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-researchers-rocking-the-boat">Researchers rocking the boat</h2>



Although these findings promised fresh possibilities for connecting crime scenes, the researchers faced an uphill battle during peer review. 



The project was rejected by a well-established forensics journal that did not accept the suggestion that different fingers might produce prints with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/molecular-fingerprints-could-be-key-to-early-cancer-detection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">shared characteristics</a>. 



Undeterred, the group sought out a broader readership. The paper was turned away once again, prompting Lipson to challenge the decision.



“If this information tips the balance, then I imagine that cold cases could be revived, and even that innocent people could be acquitted," noted Lipson, who co-directs the <a href="https://make.columbia.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Makerspace Facility</a> at Columbia.



Determined not to back away from a challenge, even if it meant disrupting over 100 years of accepted practice, the team kept refining their work. 



Finally, their persistence paid off as their study was finally recognized and published in the peer-reviewed journal, Science Advances.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-gives-new-clues-in-fingerprint-analysis">AI gives new clues in fingerprint analysis</h2>



Traditional methods rely on minutiae, which refer to branching patterns and endpoints in the ridges. 



“The AI was not using ‘minutiae,’ which are the branchings and endpoints in fingerprint ridges - the patterns used in traditional fingerprint comparison," Guo explained. 



"Instead, it was using something else, related to the angles and curvatures of the swirls and loops in the center of the fingerprint.” 



His findings suggest that experts may have overlooked important visual cues.



The collaboration included Columbia Engineering graduate Aniv Ray and PhD student Judah Goldfeder, both of whom indicated that the project’s early success could grow stronger with bigger datasets. 



“Just imagine how well this will perform once it’s trained on millions, instead of thousands of fingerprints,” Ray remarked, hinting that this approach could eventually refine how investigators hunt for clues across multiple crime scenes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potential-bias-and-next-steps">Potential bias and next steps</h2>



The researchers are alert to possible data gaps. They noted that their system showed similar performance across various demographics but emphasized the need for larger, more diverse fingerprint collections. 



They hope that thorough validation will address any concerns about bias before anyone adopts this technique in actual investigations. 



The long-term goal is to offer law enforcement a supplementary tool that improves efficiency when cases seem tangled.



While the AI cannot officially conclude a legal matter, it can help narrow the field of suspects or connect distinct crime scenes based on partial matches. 



“Many people think that AI cannot really make new discoveries - that it just regurgitates knowledge," Lipson elaborated, pointing to a broader shift in how AI might support investigative work.



"But this research is an example of how even a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-era-in-forecasting-ai-will-improve-extreme-weather-warnings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fairly simple AI</a>, given a fairly plain dataset that the research community has had lying around for years, can provide insights that have eluded experts for decades."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-fingerprints-and-law-enforcement">AI, fingerprints, and law enforcement</h2>



This study demonstrates that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/could-generative-ai-go-mad-and-wreck-internet-data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">artificial intelligence</a> can spot patterns that traditional analysis methods might miss. It also highlights the value of open datasets that have been underutilized in many areas of research. 



The findings may prompt forensic experts to rethink certain procedures, especially when multiple prints from the same suspect turn up at different locations.



Lipson sees a future where unexpected breakthroughs can come from fresh perspectives. 



“Even more exciting is the fact that an undergraduate student, with no background in forensics whatsoever, can use AI to successfully challenge a widely held belief of an entire field," Lipson concluded. 



"We are about to experience an explosion of AI-led scientific discovery by non-experts, and the expert community, including academia, needs to get ready.”



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adi0329" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a>.



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AI proves that human fingerprints are not unique, upending 100 years of law enforcement

Fingerprint analysis has been a dependable tool in crime-solving for...

Urbanization is reshaping more than just skylines. As cities expand and natural landscapes give way to concrete and park lawns, the soil beneath our feet is changing too.



The diversity of life underground - especially among bacteria and fungi - is responding to the pressures of urban development in surprising ways.



New research now shows that, while bacterial communities are becoming more alike across cities, fungal communities are holding onto their unique identities.



This new study comes from scientists at <a href="https://en.sjtu.edu.cn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shanghai Jiao Tong University</a>, the University of Helsinki, and other international institutions. 



The researchers studied soil microbial communities in boreal, temperate, and tropical biomes. They looked at sites ranging from undisturbed forests to urban parks of various ages. 



Their findings reveal a striking contrast in how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-bacteria-contribute-to-atmospheric-co2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fungi-engage-in-more-conversations-after-rainfall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fungi</a> have responded to urbanization.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soil-bacteria-reshaped-by-urbanization">Soil bacteria reshaped by urbanization </h2>



The researchers found that bacteria in urban soils tend to behave like generalists. They adapt quickly and can thrive in a range of conditions. 



In fact, the similarity between bacterial communities rose from 79% in forests to 85% in younger urban parks. About 90% of urban soil bacteria were generalists.



Fungi, on the other hand, proved to be more resistant to change. Roughly 83% of fungi remained specialists - organisms that stick to very specific environmental conditions.



Their evolutionary pace is slower than that of bacteria and they don't share genes as easily. This keeps them more rooted to particular niches.



“Urbanization is a powerful force reshaping soil <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbial-life-soil-planet-warming-global-carbon-cycle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microbial communities</a>, yet bacteria and fungi respond in strikingly different ways. Bacteria swiftly adapt to urban conditions, whereas fungi retain their ecological specialization, highlighting the complex interplay between microbial adaptation and ecosystem resilience,” noted Dr. Nan Hui, the study’s corresponding author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-bacteria-and-fungi-different">What makes bacteria and fungi different?</h2>



The contrasting responses of bacteria and fungi to urbanization stem from their fundamental biological differences. 



Bacteria are single-celled organisms with relatively simple structures and rapid reproduction cycles. They readily exchange genetic material through processes like horizontal gene transfer, allowing them to adapt quickly to new or stressful environments.



Fungi, by contrast, are more complex. Many are multicellular, forming extensive underground networks known as mycelia. These structures connect them intimately to their surroundings, making them less mobile and less genetically flexible than bacteria. 



Fungi also tend to evolve more slowly and rely heavily on specific environmental conditions and host relationships.



These inherent traits explain why bacteria can act as generalists in urban soils - adapting and thriving across varied settings - while fungi often remain tied to particular ecological niches.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-soil-bacteria-adapt-to-urbanization">Soil bacteria adapt to urbanization </h2>



Despite their different strategies, both bacteria and fungi are essential for the same big job: <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/healthy-soils-produce-a-symphony-of-sounds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">keeping the soil healthy</a>. They break down organic matter and recycle nutrients.



The study shows that even though the fungi and bacteria populations shift differently, their shared functional traits help maintain these vital services in urban soils.



This redundancy in ecological roles means cities aren’t necessarily doomed to poor soil health. The resilience is built in. And that’s good news for city planners and environmental managers looking to protect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/urban-green-spaces-are-urgently-needed-across-the-global-south/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">urban green spaces</a>.



It also suggests that microbial soil communities can adapt to disturbance without losing their core functions. With the right support, urban soils can continue to thrive - even in heavily modified environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-city-soil-resilience">The future of city soil resilience</h2>



Soil microbes are often overlooked in discussions about biodiversity, especially in cities. But this study makes it clear that they play a vital role in sustaining life above the surface. Understanding their behavior under the stress of urbanization is a step toward building more resilient cities.



Future research could explore how certain design choices - like the age of green spaces or the types of plants used - shape these microbial communities.



Microbial studies like this one are essential for designing urban environments that support biodiversity, climate resilience, and long-term sustainability.



The more we learn about what keeps urban soils alive, the better equipped we’ll be to nurture the ecosystems that support us - even in the heart of the city.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666498425000250?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Environmental Science and Ecotechnology</a>.



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Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by <a href="https://www.earth.com/author/eralls/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eric Ralls</a> and Earth.com.



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Soil bacteria and fungi respond differently to urbanization

Urbanization is reshaping more than just skylines. As cities expand...

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